Won Arkansas state high school golf titles in 1932 and 1933 and earned a scholarship to the University of Arkansas, however, after a strong performance at the Louisiana state amateur tournament in Baton Rouge, he accepted an offer to attend LSU.

Shortly after his LSU enrollment, his family moved to New Orleans, with his father serving as the golf pro at Harahan's Colonial Country Club.

Won the Southern Amateur at New Orleans Country Club in 1934 and late that same year, competed in the first Master's Tournament. Also won the 1938 Southern Amateur.

Captured the NCAA individual championship in 1937 at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh.

Defeated Byron Nelson to win the 1945 Memphis Open to snap Nelson's record of 11 straight victories and chose to turn pro at the age of 35 after approximately 125 amateur victories.

Collected a total of five PGA titles and was among the money leaders for many years.

In 1953, he became the first person to represent the United States in both the Walker Cup (amateur, which he did in 1938) and the Ryder Cup (pro).

In 1966, he won both the PGS senior championship and the world senior championship.

Tallied a total of four holes-in-one in his career, two of them on the fly.